Moelis’s Pridham caught up in sex discrimination suit

Moelis & Company’s Andrew Pridham is embroiled in a sexual discrimination suit by a former female employee who claims she was sacked for being in a relationship with a co-worker.
Photo: Nic Walker

by
Michaela Whitbourn

The head of US-based investment bank
Moelis & Company
’s Australian arm,
Andrew Pridham
, is embroiled in a ­sexual discrimination suit brought by a former female employee who claims she was sacked for being in a relationship with a former co-worker.

Julia Ward
, a former vice-president at the bank’s Sydney office, is suing Moelis for damages in the Federal Court, alleging she was discriminated against on the basis of her gender.

Ms Ward began a consensual relationship with
James Dunphy
, then a managing director at the company, in January last year “which continues to this day", according to a document filed in court. Mr Dunphy left the bank in February this year.

Ms Ward claims the bank made her redundant on May 24 this year because it believed women in her position were “susceptible to undue influence by the other person in the relationship".

Mr Pridham, the chief executive of Moelis & Company Australia, is the incoming chairman of the Sydney Swans. Ms Ward claims one of the ­company’s managing directors,
Colin Richardson
, told her Mr Pridham did not believe she was sick when she took personal leave on February 5.